The fixation or stabilization of the upper and lower dental occlusal arches to each other is known as intermaxillary fixation (IMF) and also known as maxillo-mandibular fixation (MMF). MMF has historically been included in the treatment of fracture, orthognathic, and reconstructive jaw procedures. Various methods for achieving MMF are known in the art.
Circumdental wiring techniques include metallic wires that are placed around one or more teeth and then twisted in various methods to secure the teeth. Wires or twisted pairs of wires can form cables and be twisted to each other to stabilize the dental arch. Loops formed on mandibular teeth can be wired to loops formed around maxillary teeth in order to stabilize the top dentition to the bottom dentition. While the materials used in circumdental wiring are relatively inexpensive, the technique is tedious and time consuming. The wires also can interfere with dental hygiene.
Another conventional technique includes arch bars that are used in combination with wiring. Specifically, a metal bar is preformed to correspond with the curvature of the dental arch. Wires are then passed around the teeth and over the bar, and then twisted to the bar. This is performed at multiple locations along the bar to provide stability around the dental arch. Since the bars typically have bent or formed hooks on them for securing wire, the hooks can be used for wiring the upper arch bar to the lower arch bar. Elastic bands can also be used to fix the upper arch bar to the lower arch bar. Unfortunately, this technique is time consuming, and interferes with dental hygiene. Further, passing wires around the teeth and over the bar creates a risk that the surgeon may puncture his or her surgical glove, thereby potentially facilitating the spread of disease.
Another conventional technique involves placing a plurality of screws in the mandible or maxilla in regions that avoid the tooth roots. The screw heads may contain through holes. The screw head serves as an area around which wires may be wrapped, and the holes can facilitate the passage of wire through the heads. Thus, wires may be secured to adjoining sets of screws to provide MMF. This system unfortunately suffers from a lack of overall structural stability which can be necessary, for instance, when addressing fractures around the teeth.